UAFS Students Enjoy Weather, Annual Campus Picnic

University of Arkansas at Fort Smith students enjoyed the sunshine, cloudless sky and cool breeze Wednesday afternoon as they mingled among booths at the annual Campus Picnic and Block Party.

Stephanie London, student activities event coordinator for UAFS, rushed around helping the hundreds of students in attendance and manning booths find their way.

“It’s going pretty strong and steady,” she said, eyeing the lawn full of people.

Cheerful UAFS staffers served hamburgers and other snacks to long lines, with students, faculty and alumni dining at tables under large tents and along the sidewalks on their way to class.

London expected to beat last year’s record attendance of 1,600 students. “It’s exciting to see more and more students come out to see what our university has to offer them,” she said.

Beneath the bell tower, The Bergamot, a South Bend, Ind.-based band, sang pop and folk tunes, both original and covers.

Next to the stage, a popular booth offered the first 300 students to fill out a survey a chance to “build your own Numa,” a small stuffed lion resembling the UAFS mascot. Students stuffed and named their lions, then clothed them in miniature school T-shirts.

“You’d think it wouldn’t go over well for college students, but they love it!” London said.

Ericka Stipins, a UAFS freshman, carried her Numa with her as she visited booths farther down the lawn. “It’s fun, there’s a lot going on,” she said, smiling to her friend, BreAnna Grady. “Everybody’s real personable; I like it, you know, you don’t feel lonely.”

More than 80 registered student organizations and 15 nonprofit organizations had booths around the brick pathways.

Lisa Magallanes, a senior in her second term as student body president, was happy with the turnout, both in number of students and in organizations.

“All the RSOs (registered student organizations) have an opportunity to get their name out there and familiarize themselves with the students and reach out to them and try to get as many students involved as possible,” she said.

“It’s a lot bigger than I expected, the organizations they have — there’s a lot more than I expected,” said Stipins, who was only halfway through the circle of booths.

Tethered to several students’ backpacks and wrists were cream-colored balloons bearing portraits drawn by June Pham, a junior graphic design student. Danaye Amon, president of the UAFS Graphic Design Association, smiled and greeted visitors to their booth, while Pham sketched personal portraits for each one.

The UAFS Graphic Design Association is in its first year as a club, and Amon was excited to draw so many guests. Amon hopes the group’s first meeting, Friday at 2 p.m., will benefit from the success at the picnic.

“We have so many students in the graphic design program, and when I was a freshman I didn’t know anyone,” she said. “I thought it was a shame that it took a year or two to learn so many people, so it’s going to be a good way to get the freshmen to network.”

With the campus lawn buzzing with activity and music wafting through the air, students voiced pride in their decision to enroll at UAFS. “I think it’s pretty great; I’m really happy that I came here,“ Stipins said.